Chuck

To start...the slotted false keel was tapered from the bearding line to the outside edge.  This created a simulated rabbet once the two keel pieces were cut to shape and glued into position.
 

 
Then the 16 bulkhead frames were added.  I had these laser cut to save time.  They were designed in a way that the center sections are removable.  They are held to the frames by small tabs.  Once the hull is planks I will file through the tabs and snap out the center sections.  Care must be taken to square up the bulkheads with the keel and ensure they are straight so the the proper hull shape can be obtained.  You could further stabilize the bulkheads by gluing a temporary batten across the tops of them which will be removed before I start filing the center sections free.  But I am not a heavy handed builder so I just started fairing the hull immediately.  I use d alight touch while beveling the outside edges of he bulkheads.  The transom and bow fillers were added just prior to the start of planking.
 

 

 

Spent the day treenailing...woo-hoo!!!   Managed to get half of the starboard side done.   I am using a #78 drill bit for the size.  They are subtle which I like.  In fact here is a close up as it may be hard to see in the full profile image.  But it ads the nice texture I like without looking to measle like.  Clicking on the two bottom pictures might give you just a hint of treenails although it may also be my photography skills.
 
Chuck
 

 

 

Spent the day treenailing...woo-hoo!!!   Managed to get half of the starboard side done.   I am using a #78 drill bit for the size.  They are subtle which I like.  In fact here is a close up as it may be hard to see in the full profile image.  But it ads the nice texture I like without looking to measle like.  Clicking on the two bottom pictures might give you just a hint of treenails although it may also be my photography skills.
 
Chuck
 

 

 

Spent the day treenailing...woo-hoo!!!   Managed to get half of the starboard side done.   I am using a #78 drill bit for the size.  They are subtle which I like.  In fact here is a close up as it may be hard to see in the full profile image.  But it ads the nice texture I like without looking to measle like.  Clicking on the two bottom pictures might give you just a hint of treenails although it may also be my photography skills.
 
Chuck
 

 

 

Spent the day treenailing...woo-hoo!!!   Managed to get half of the starboard side done.   I am using a #78 drill bit for the size.  They are subtle which I like.  In fact here is a close up as it may be hard to see in the full profile image.  But it ads the nice texture I like without looking to measle like.  Clicking on the two bottom pictures might give you just a hint of treenails although it may also be my photography skills.
 
Chuck
 

 

 

Spent the day treenailing...woo-hoo!!!   Managed to get half of the starboard side done.   I am using a #78 drill bit for the size.  They are subtle which I like.  In fact here is a close up as it may be hard to see in the full profile image.  But it ads the nice texture I like without looking to measle like.  Clicking on the two bottom pictures might give you just a hint of treenails although it may also be my photography skills.
 
Chuck
 

 

 

I finished the companionway (although the stairs are still missing ).
 
Image 1 describes the different building steps, image 2 the finished result, and images 3 – 5 show the companionway mounted on my Syren model.
 
Thomas
 

Image 1: Building steps
 
 

Image 2: Finished companionway
 
 

Image 3: Companionway on Syren
 
 

Image 4: Companionway on Syren
 
 

Image 5: Syren with companionway
 
 
 

The holes are not too deep at all.   But I wouldnt use the bit for lightly reaming.  Its too brittle.  Best to use a sharp pointed awl.
 
Chuck

A # 78 hole is really small, but what I did was after drilling the holes for a small area about 2" x 4".
 
-  sand the area smooth
-  use a sharp awl and GENTLY insert into each.  Dont push it too hard or you will distort the hole shape.
- Take a very , very , very sharp #2 pencil.   Insert point into each hole and twist lightly.  You must keep a sharp point and sharpen the        pencil every ten or so holes.  Use one of those cheap kids pencil sharpeners.
-  Then fill each hole with Elmer's wood filler.  Scrape off excess with a piece of wood.  
-  Sand it smooth to get a nice surface.
-  Then aply some wipe-on-poly.

Spent the day treenailing...woo-hoo!!!   Managed to get half of the starboard side done.   I am using a #78 drill bit for the size.  They are subtle which I like.  In fact here is a close up as it may be hard to see in the full profile image.  But it ads the nice texture I like without looking to measle like.  Clicking on the two bottom pictures might give you just a hint of treenails although it may also be my photography skills.
 
Chuck
 

 

 

A # 78 hole is really small, but what I did was after drilling the holes for a small area about 2" x 4".
 
-  sand the area smooth
-  use a sharp awl and GENTLY insert into each.  Dont push it too hard or you will distort the hole shape.
- Take a very , very , very sharp #2 pencil.   Insert point into each hole and twist lightly.  You must keep a sharp point and sharpen the        pencil every ten or so holes.  Use one of those cheap kids pencil sharpeners.
-  Then fill each hole with Elmer's wood filler.  Scrape off excess with a piece of wood.  
-  Sand it smooth to get a nice surface.
-  Then aply some wipe-on-poly.

Spent the day treenailing...woo-hoo!!!   Managed to get half of the starboard side done.   I am using a #78 drill bit for the size.  They are subtle which I like.  In fact here is a close up as it may be hard to see in the full profile image.  But it ads the nice texture I like without looking to measle like.  Clicking on the two bottom pictures might give you just a hint of treenails although it may also be my photography skills.
 
Chuck
 

 

 

Maybe in the next few weeks Crown will be open for business.   Look for an announcement but you can follow this topic for updates.
 
http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/9119-introducing-crown-timberyard/
 
Jason is actually shipping me a wood package for my Cheerful project which will be made available to support the site for a donation.  I will be sure to post some pictures for everyone to see when it arrives.  I am sure the quality of the wood will be superb.
 
Chuck

Log 33 – Fore Topsail      
 
Hello again to all.  Since the last entry I have made and hung the fore topsail.  This is the first of the square sails that will be shown set and filling, and took somewhat longer to complete due to my inexperience.  I had to go back a few times to understand all of the lines and to work out some technical problems.
 
Here is the yard, shaped as usual with cleats, stop cleats and blocks.  At this point I still have to add the larger blocks near the center for the topgallant sheets. Also the stirrups and footropes.
 
1
 
The sail itself was laid out, like the lateen, on stiffened cloth.  The panel lines and tabling lines were marked out, then the perimeter was painted with pH neutral white glue.  When the glue was dry the sail was cut out and small triangle openings were cut along what would become the perimeter of the sail for the cringles.  The sail was turned over and panel seams were lined on, offset about 3 scale inches to one side of the first set of seams.
 
2
 
The boltrope was set into the creased sail edge and trapped in place when the tabling was folded over and ironed closed.  As with the lateen, the cringles were made by feeding a bend of the bolt rope through the previously cut openings to form the cringles.  When the tabling was completely closed the various reinforcements were added to the back of the sail.  These were made out of stiffened cloth that was marked with panel seams, if needed, then cut and glued to the main sail as shown on the plans.  They were ironed down to the main sailcloth and should be very stable and secure.  On the front of the sail two bands of reinforcement for the reef points were similarly cut, glued, and ironed.
 
3
 
Here you can see all of the elements of the sail, backlit and translucent.
 
4
 
A series of holes was drilled through the tabling along the top of the sail with about a 3/8” spacing.   A continuous series of loops was sewn through the holes to lace the sail to the spar.  Then it was set into a large plastic tub for stiffening.
 
5
 
The sail was painted with clear matte finish and weighted with about half a cup of rice in a plastic bag.  It was left to dry overnight and, once removed from the jig, had a pleasing catenary curve to the three free sides.
 
6
 
Holes were drilled through the reef bands and the reef points were knotted, glued into the holes, and trimmed.  Matte finish was painted on to hold them down on both sides of the sail.  Clew blocks were tied to the lower corners and the sheets were knotted and laced through the clew cringles.    The sail was hung on the mast and the parrell was strapped around the mast and yard.  In the photo you can see the running ends of the topsail lifts (the heavier light colored lines) are hanging down and have not been belayed.  There are clips on their lower ends to provide some weight and tension on the system to keep things from getting tangled.  The clips also remind me which lines have not been belayed yet.
 
7
 
The tie with its fiddle block already seized in was fed from aft to forward through a sheave hole in the mast under the trestletrees.  It was taken down around the yard and attached with a rolling hitch.  The fiddle block at the running end of the tye is the top of a three part purchase hooked into an eyebolt in the top.  The halyard belays to a cleat on the mast near the deck.
 
8
 
The lifts were laced through the fiddle blocks at the yardarm and led down towards the deck through the lubber holes, but not yet secured until the sheets were led through the sheet blocks on the main yard then down through the sheaves in the bitts forward of the mast.  Then both sets of lines could be tensioned against each other.  The braces were run from the main topmast stay, through several sets of blocks to a timberhead on the edge of the foredeck.  They can be seen in some later photos.  That completed the spar handling lines.  The sail handling lines were then run, which completed the rigging to the topsail.
 
Here is the sail fully rigged as seen from forward.
 
9
 
In this view the lighting was varied so the sail handling lines can be seen a bit clearer.  The fore topsail, like the other square sails, has p/s pairs of clewlines, leachlines, buntlines, and bowlines.  Eight more lines for each sail.  I had never previously fully rigged a ship, and the level of complexity with all these lines is a real eye-opener.
 
The bowlines start as a triple bridle from the cringles on either side of the sail.  They lead to blocks on pendants at the end of the bowsprit, then aft through the gammon blocks and up to cleats on the foredeck.  The buntines lead from cringles at the foot of the sail, through lead blocks on the yard, through blocks strapped to the topmast stay, and then to the deck.  Similarly, the leach lines run from the upper side cringles through lead blocks and down to the deck.
 
10
 
In this closeup of the masthead you can see those lead blocks on the yard and stay.
 
11
 
From aft in these two views you can see the braces and clewlines.
 
12
13
 
Each of the sail handling lines goes down to a tackle hooked to the eyebolts around the base of the mast.  It is starting to get very crowded here.  The halyard is belayed to the mast cleat with several turns of line and a yacht hitch, but no glue.  All of the belaying points will be painted with matte finish only after they are all done.
 
14
 
I try to leave extra line on the belaying point and delay the final securing till very late so that when, not if, I make a mistake I can correct it more easily.  For example, here is the first photo of the halyard tackle on the mast top.  Looking at it I could see that the halyard was running through one of the side lubber holes and made a fairly acute angle as it went through the lubber hole to the deck.  Such a kink is a mistake.
 
15
 
In most cases this would be difficult to correct.  Instead, I just had to untie the halyard from the cleat and re-run it properly, belaying it to the cleat again.  Although it took some finicky work with two tweezers, it only took 15 minutes, not an hour.  A very small point, but one that would have nagged at me at 2 am.
 
16
 
So here is the current overall look. 
 
17
 
Main topmast next.
 
Be well
 
Dan
 

I have been working on both models and wanted to show the finished square tuck and Cheerful.  I am just about done with the planking but will be doing a tech session next Tuesday night at my club meeting.  So until then I wont be getting more done.  I may however move ahead and start treenailing.   I have only five strakes left as you can see and its killing me that I cant just finish it up.  But a week will go by really quick.
 
Chuck
 

 

 
 
 
 

I have been working on both models and wanted to show the finished square tuck and Cheerful.  I am just about done with the planking but will be doing a tech session next Tuesday night at my club meeting.  So until then I wont be getting more done.  I may however move ahead and start treenailing.   I have only five strakes left as you can see and its killing me that I cant just finish it up.  But a week will go by really quick.
 
Chuck
 

 

 
 
 
 

I will be offering the bulkheads pretty soon.  But thats it.   It will never be a complete kit .  Only a few items to help the scratch builder. 

Thank you Alistair
 
Red is a very transparent color to paint with.   If you use thin coats it will be somewhat transparent.  I have many more coats and more sanding to get it where I want but it will most likely have some transparency.
 
I found some workshop time....so I finished planking the starboard side.  Its a big milestone but then I look at the port side and have to repeat the entire process, including the square tuck   But it all worked out very well.   Once the other side is finished I can start treenailing.  
 

 

 

 

 

 
 

I have been working on both models and wanted to show the finished square tuck and Cheerful.  I am just about done with the planking but will be doing a tech session next Tuesday night at my club meeting.  So until then I wont be getting more done.  I may however move ahead and start treenailing.   I have only five strakes left as you can see and its killing me that I cant just finish it up.  But a week will go by really quick.
 
Chuck
 

 

 
 
 
 

Thank you Alistair
 
Red is a very transparent color to paint with.   If you use thin coats it will be somewhat transparent.  I have many more coats and more sanding to get it where I want but it will most likely have some transparency.
 
I found some workshop time....so I finished planking the starboard side.  Its a big milestone but then I look at the port side and have to repeat the entire process, including the square tuck   But it all worked out very well.   Once the other side is finished I can start treenailing.  
 

 

 

 

 

 
 

I have been working on both models and wanted to show the finished square tuck and Cheerful.  I am just about done with the planking but will be doing a tech session next Tuesday night at my club meeting.  So until then I wont be getting more done.  I may however move ahead and start treenailing.   I have only five strakes left as you can see and its killing me that I cant just finish it up.  But a week will go by really quick.
 
Chuck
 

 

 
 
 
 

● Finishing The Stern: I scanned the stern windows from the plans and imported the file into CorelDraw. I made a drawing of the windows using the scanned image as a guide. The file was then printed and trimmed to fit on the stern. I closed the 3 holes in bulkhead YY with some scrap balsa and adhered the windows using 3M Super 77 spray adhesive. The remainder of the stern was completed as per the instructions. The four laser cut knees were replaced with boxwood. These were made by hand from a single piece of wood. Laser cut knees were glued to each end and used as a guide for shaping. 1/16" wide pieces were ripped using the table saw.
 
Photo of window drawing

 

 

Count me in for a set of the bulkheads. HM Cutter Cheerful will be my no. 3 build, just as soon as I finish the Niagara.
 
Chuck, she is looking majestic!

I will be offering the bulkheads pretty soon.  But thats it.   It will never be a complete kit .  Only a few items to help the scratch builder. 

Thank you Alistair
 
Red is a very transparent color to paint with.   If you use thin coats it will be somewhat transparent.  I have many more coats and more sanding to get it where I want but it will most likely have some transparency.
 
I found some workshop time....so I finished planking the starboard side.  Its a big milestone but then I look at the port side and have to repeat the entire process, including the square tuck   But it all worked out very well.   Once the other side is finished I can start treenailing.